Descend into Red
by Way-Up-In-The-Skye
Summary: Fionna, at age 17, is kidnapped by Marshall Lee to become one of his many slaves. And she, like the others refuses to do his bidding, until he looks her in the eyes. Dark Fiolee.
1. Chapter 1

**So this was a random idea that popped into my head. Now, should I be focusing on my Korrasami story instead of starting a new one? Probably. Am I going to? Obviously not. Enjoy. Reviews feed my soul.**

I'm known for taking risks. I'm also known for giving my sister Cake panic attacks and constantly getting hurt. I doubt that's a coincidence. Either way, I knew I should've gone home, even if I only had one more snare to check. It was getting dark. And it's not smart to be out in the woods alone at night (so says the superstition village elders). But all the other snares were empty, and we needed to eat.

_I'll be fine_, I reassured myself._ What's going to hurt me? Trees? Deer? I have a sword. I'll be okay. _

I came upon the last snare. Empty, curse it. I started to hurry home so I could see if I could make a deal with the traders. But the bushes rustled, and I felt a crushing smack on the back of my head. I fell hard. Spots danced in my vision. Two sets of leather boots stepped in front of me. I started to sit up, but the dizziness was overwhelming. Before I completely fell unconscious, I could've sworn I heard a gruff voice say, "We got a hunter. Bet the King will have fun with 'er."

0o0o0

When I came to, I could see nothing. I was surrounded by pitch blackness. Am I dead? I wondered. A throbbing began in the back of my head. I groaned a little. It was very, very cold.

_Nope. Still alive._

The same gruff voice that had attacked me said, "She's awake. Take her to the King."

I heard the clanging of metal and the shuffling of feet. Both of my arms were seized, and I was dragged forward.

"Hey!" I protested. "Let me go!"

The only reply I received was a sharp jab to the gut. I would've doubled over, but I was forced to continue on. Every so often, I would hear an odd hissing sound coming from all around me.

Gradually, my surroundings grew lighter, until I could clearly see with the aid of torchlight. I was completely naked. My *ahem* escorts were decked in leather armor. One was armed with a sword, the other with a dagger. Both made from pitch black metal. Their skin was gray, and they didn't seem human. One looked at me, and a forked tongue pushed past his lips.

So that's where the hissing was coming from.

We were walking down stone corridors with no windows and rich, blood red draperies. We finally came to an expansive throne room, where a teenage boy was sitting on a throne of spikes, swinging a red, double edged ax.

His gaze fell on me, and I stopped in his tracks. His eyes were red, and they bore deep within my skin, making me go rigid and oddly wish to do his bidding.

He was handsome, despite the gray skin. His messy jet black hair fell into his face. He was tall and lean. He grinned crookedly at me, and I caught glimpse of two fangs.

Vampire.

All of them, vampires.

I started to panic, but the guards already holding me restrained me, and forced me down.

"Kneel in the presence of the Vampire King," one said.

I continued to struggle, and one punched my back until I fell.

"That's enough," a smooth voice said. It took me a moment to realize it was him, the Vampire King. "Guards, leave us."

The guards scurried away, leaving me alone with the boy.

"Look at me," he said. I obeyed, and honestly, I couldn't believe he was the vampire king. He didn't seem much older than me. He certainly didn't look dangerous, as long as he didn't look me in the eye.

Which of course, he did.

Shudders ran down my spine. He noticed my discomfort and smirked.

"Do you know why you're here?"

I shook my head, unable to not comply.

"You're here," he said, " To make sure I'm satisfied."

My eyes widened. "You're going to drink my blood?!"

He chuckled, "Not yet. But all in due time. No, my dear, you're here to satisfy a different, more primal urge. There is a reason you have been stripped of your furs. It saves time. Something I have too much of, something you have too little."

Oh_. Oh._

"I won't let you!" I yelled.

I blinked, and he disappeared from the throne.

"What makes you think you have a choice?" He said from behind me.

My shoulders slumped, I felt completely helpless.

"I'll take special care of you," he said. "You are quite beautiful... What is your name, mortal?"

"Fionna," I spat at him.

"Well, Fionna the Human, allow me to formally introduce myself." He reappeared in front of me, knelt, and took my hand and kissed it lightly.

"I am Marshall Lee the Vampire King. I also happen to be the heir to demon realm. Pleased to make your acquaintance."


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you so much for all the reviews. They feed my soul. **

The same guards that brought me to the Vampire King escorted me out of the throne room. They leered at me, peering deviously at my naked body. They flicked their forked tongues at me almost teasingly. But they never touched me, save for dragging me by the arms.

Maybe touching the Vampire King's sex slave was an act of treason or something. Figures, since was supposed to belong to him now.

I constantly kept on the lookout for means of escape, and found none. There weren't even windows. Just gray stone and red furnishings. Corridors led to more corridors. In fact, so far, I hadn't seen any sort of door.

Then again, what was waiting on the outside could've been even less friendly than what was coming to me inside.

That led me to another point. What was with those eyes of his? I could be as deviant as I wanted. I could be completely disgusted with everything he implied was waiting for me in the near future. But the second that blood-red gaze fell on me, it was like he owned my soul. I was still appalled by the whole idea, but I couldn't refuse him. And coupled with that smooth voice...

It had to be some sort of magic.

The guards took me to an even more unfamiliar area of the dark palace. They brought me into a small, narrow, five and a half foot tall tunnel. They had to bend down to pass through. I didn't.

We arrived at a barred door, like a cell. The inside was dark, but I could make out vague, humanoid shapes. One guard unhooked a large bundle of keys from his belt, unlocked the door, shoved me inside, and shut and locked it again before I could even blink.

"Our King will come for you in an hour. I suppose you should prepare yourself. Stretch yourself out a bit. He requires a lot of room." One guard sneered. The other laughed violently at the vulgar joke. They walked off together, out of sight, into the maze of gothic hallways.

I blinked a couple times before my eyes adjusted to the dark. The vague, humanoid shapes, as it turned out, were women. Maybe a dozen. All naked like me. I blinked again, and realized I was the only human. I saw nymphs and witches (who must have had their powers stolen, because otherwise they would've busted out of here by now) and ghosts (how does one have sex with a ghost?). That surprised me, since all the vampires I had heard of usually only drank human blood.

One, a girl who seemed a bit younger than me, glanced up at me. She had bright red hair, orange skin, and glowing gold eyes. She had dragonfly-esque wings with veins that glowed like hot coals. Fire nymph. She said in a tired voice, "Oh look, fresh meat. Seems the Freak King finally found himself a human. 'Bout time. Guess this means I'm dead, now that he's got a new obsession."

"Don't talk bad about Mar-Mar!" Another voice said. It came from a girl with gray skin and white hair. She had no pointy canines, so I assumed she was a witch. "And besides, I don't care about his latest obsession. He'll always love me."

"You're delusional, Ashley," said the fire nymph.

"Hmph!" Ashley replied.

An older girl, maybe twenty one, stood up and came to shake my hand. I had a hard time figuring out what she was. She had pink hair and skin, with delicate features.

"I'm Bonnibel," she said, "welcome to the club... Uh..."

"Fionna," I told her. "Um, what exactly are you?" I asked.

She chuckled a little bit. "Ah, Fionna. I'm a tree nymph."

"Tree nymphs aren't pink," I said stupidly.

She smiled. "Tree nymphs who get mixed up with magic and get a simple flower-blooming-in-winter spell wrong sometimes end up pink."

Oh. Well that makes sense.

"Are you all sex slaves for the Vampire King?" I asked.

Most of the group nodded. But Bonnibel said, "The majority are, that horny bastard. But I myself have been claimed by his twin sister, the Vampire Queen."

"He has a sister?" I asked.

"Oh yes. Marceline usually doesn't care much for being royalty and lets her brother do most of the bossing people around. And I usually don't stay down here. I live in her chambers. I'm not really a slave. I actually quite care for her. But... She does have a temper. And until she cools off, I have decided to sleep down here. I check on the girls sometimes anyway."

I slowly take that in. And then I have another question.

"Then why are you naked if you don't have to be?" I asked.

Bonnibel shrugged. "Feels more natural down here. And besides, that wouldn't be too fair. Anyway, I'm naked most of the time when I'm staying with Marceline." She winked.

I try not to freak out or wonder what it's like when two girls are together like that. And to cover up my surprise, I ask, "Why does he have so much control when he looks me in the eye?"

"Who, Marshall Lee? He doesn't have that kind of power over me, but some of the other girls have said the same thing. Probably part of being half demon. I bet he loves it too, having that control. Of course he does, with all these girls down here. That insufferable prick. I love his sister, but I can't even tolerate him. He's embraced his demonic side much more than Marceline has."

It's then, out of nowhere, that reality hit me. I sank down, and began to cry.

"Oh here we go," said the fire nymph.

I hated crying. I hated all forms of weakness. But there was nothing I could do and I just hated not being able to do anything. And it was just so frustrating. So I stayed on the ground for a while and cried.

I allowed myself to continue that until I heard footsteps coming down toward us. This time, a woman greeted us. Another vampire with deep-red hair and a tall, skinny build. Like the guards before, she opened the cell door, gets me out and shut it before anyone can react. Extra security I suppose.

"The Vampire King is expecting you," the woman says. I follow led her down the corridors, not bothering to look for an escape route. I promised myself to ask Bonnibel if she knows anything when I get back. Though I doubt it. She would've set at least some of the other girls free by now.

We came to the first real door I'd seen so far. A large, ornate, red black and gold door that towered at at least twelve feet tall. The woman knocked, and scurried away when it opened to reveal Marshall Lee.

He was shirtless, wearing only breeches. I was about to turn and run, but then he looked me in the eyes, and his demon magic had me paralyzed.

"Come inside," he said.

I did ask he asked, numbly. Once I was inside, he shut the doors and chanted, waving his hand over them. A faint glow washed over the door and then faded.

"No getting out now," he said.

And suddenly, even though I was still looking him directly in the eyes, I could move and think on my own. I looked at him, confused.

"Turning off the demon charm," he said. "I want to see how much real fight you have in you, Fionna the Human."


	3. Chapter 3

**I know, I know. I take forever to update. I'm sorry. But you know what I'm not sorry for? This chapter. It will be dark. It will not end all lovey-dovey. Marshall Lee is not just some prankster in this story (which makes him kinda OOC, I know). I'm just warning you now. This one isn't for the lighthearted.**

I didn't even hesitate. I bolted toward the door, but the second I touched it, a jolt of burning electricity shot through me. I jumped back, shaking my hand frantically. A dark chuckle emanated from behind me.

"Oh come on. You'll have to do better than that," Marshall Lee said.

I elbowed directly behind me, somehow connecting with his nose. I heard a sickening crunch and a growl. I turned, and a paralyzing fear ran through me, just from his glare. Black liquid was gushing out of his now crooked nose. But, before he could kill me, he reached up, straightened his nose out with another crunching noise, and regained his composure.

He floated toward me almost casually, and I held my fists up, preparing to punch his lights out. The second he got within range, I threw a left. But he caught it before I could blink. He twisted his hand violently, and snapped my wrist. I tried desperately not to scream. I managed to keep the only noise I let out down to a whimper... Oh that sounds even weaker than a scream. Come on Fionna.

So I growled at him instead.

Much better.

He smirked at me. I hated that smirk. I didn't want to feel inferior, even if I was, technically inferior to him. He is a demon, after all. Cheater.

"So, have you run out of fight yet? Do you see why resistance is futile?" He asked.

I spat at him in response. He didn't even seem phased.

"Oh, you're going to try to be silent, eh? That's okay. It'll be that much better when I make you scream," he said.

I continued trying to struggle, but his grip was like iron, and every time I moved my left arm, white hot pain raced all the way back to my brain.

The Vampire King seemed to take notice of this, and suddenly squeezed my wrist even harder. I thought he was trying to crush it, but when he removed his hand, it was back to normal.

"You're going to need that hand soon," he said.

"I'm not going to do what you say," I spat at him.

"Oh sweetheart," his smirk grew, and I could clearly see his teeth getting longer, "you don't have a choice. I'm done playing cat and mouse. You have duties to attend to."

"What do you- whoa!"

Before I could finish my sentence, I was flung onto the bed dominating the mostly black chambers. The sheets were red (of course), and they nearly engulfed me. But that's irrelevant right now.

Marshall Lee was suddenly on top of me, his breeches in his hand. I have no time to react as he uses those breeches to tie my wrists to one of the black iron bedposts. The cold of the metal was nearly freezing, but not enough to take my attention off of the demon leering at me.

He sat up to straddle me, and said, "This will not be pleasant, Fionna the Human." I almost thought I saw a hint of compassion seep into his ever-menacing gaze. But it had to have been my imagination. He outstretched his hand, and a dagger flew into it from unknown origins. He held it firmly, but with a sense of familiarity, like he'd been in this position thousands of times.

I suppose, in truth, he had.

My heart pounded as he leaned down. I supposed it would to no good to be terrified. I would likely die soon. Humans are not as durable as creatures such as nymphs and witches. I thought maybe this is where the ghost slaves came from.

His face reached my neck, and he drew in a breath from his nose longingly. Smelling my blood, I realized.

And then, he bit down. His teeth sunk into my skin, and the puncture was ice cold. Just like the rest of him. I gritted my teeth. I would not scream. I WOULD NOT SCREAM. He could kill me if he wanted, but I refused to scream.

He bit me again and again. He raked his claws all over my body. My blood ran off my skin and onto the sheets. But instead of leaving a stain, it seemed to melt into them, making them a little bit softer. I bit my tongue. The pain was searing and everywhere. When he tired of using his claws, he began to cut me with the dagger. He was much less hurried than he was with his claws. Taking slow sadistic pleasure out of the incisions the knife made instead of the frenzied incisions he made with his nails.

Like he was an animal trying to rip me apart.

Maybe that is all he was. Vampire King. Demon. But still just an animal.

I could feel his arousal against my leg. It seemed the more of my blood he spilled, the more aroused he became. I tried very hard to ignore it. I hated the idea of letting him take something like that away from me. But what could I do? Even if my hands weren't tied and he weren't a demon with unimaginable magic and strength, I was already becoming dizzy from blood loss.

Every once in a while, Marshall Lee would stop and lick some of the blood gushing out of my body. He would stare at me when he was done, blood dripping down his face, and even with the boyish looks, there was no mistaking that he was a monster. His hair beaded with sweat. His pupils had become slits. And he looked so... Hungry. His stare made me feel more violated than his touch.

Finally, he had had enough of torturing me, and decided to stop teasing himself with all of the blood. I didn't dare look down. As he shifted his weight so he was positioned for entry, I squeezed my eyes shut, and felt a sharp pain just below my lower abdomen. I knew exactly what it was. And maybe it should've been more climactic, but that little stab of pain paled in comparison to everything else he'd already done to me.

Or maybe that was the blood loss talking.

He pounded into me, holding nothing back. I felt like I was going to rip in half. His hands were everywhere, claws raking again. The frenzy had returned. He was trying to tear me apart. I was certain of it. I would grit my teeth every time it became especially painful, but I still wouldn't scream. This seemed to frustrate him. He started to hit me, violently. My vision grew blurry. And finally, mercifully, I slipped out of consciousness.

After a cycle of briefly waking up to more blood and violence and intrusion in my lower regions only to recede back into the blackness of dreamless slumber, I finally awoke to pink eyes full of concern. And I knew, that at least for now, the danger had passed, and I could truly sleep.

**So... Yeah. I was afraid to do anything more violent. Reviews feed my soul.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks so much for all the lovely reviews. You guys are so sweet!**

It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dark room where all the girls were kept. Ha, I suppose holding cell was a better word. It was floor-to-ceiling grey stone. The door blended almost seamlessly into the wall. There were no beds. I suppose you just slept on the floor. It even seemed darker than it had when I first arrived there.

Bonnibel was crouched down next to me, gently dabbing my wounds with a wet cloth. I guess she had started tending to my wounds while I was still sleeping, because most of my body felt wet and cold. I didn't even want to look down. I didn't have to. I knew the kind of shape I was in.

"Do you know who you are?" Bonnibel asked softly.

"I'm Fionna," I croaked out weakly. My throat felt dry.

She exhaled sharply, I suppose in relief. "Good," she said, "it seems he hasn't knocked you around too much. He just stuck to flesh wounds."

"He did seem pretty hell bent on slicing me to bits," I deadpanned.

Bonnibel half-smiled. "He didn't take away your sense of humor either. Good. You'll need that. Easy to lose humor when you take away hope."

I didn't bother telling her that I wasn't kidding.

Bonnibel helped me sit up, and as if she was a mind reader, retrieved a ladle full of water. She brought the edge to my lips and slightly tilted it back so I could drink. My first thought, after _this tastes like sulfur, but who cares?_ was that anyone related to the Vampire King didn't deserve anyone as kind as Bonnibel. Even if the Vampire Queen wasn't technically as bad as her brother, that's not like that statement was saying much.

The other girls kept to themselves. A few were in little packs of two or three, whispering to themselves. None of them would look at me. Well, not except that witch... Oh what's her name... Ashley! Ashley kept glancing at me and sneering, her nose so high she would drown in a rainstorm.

Good for her that we're cemented in.

"Don't mind the others," Bonnibel whispered. "You're not a pretty sight right now, and you're new. The first time is always the most brutal. Or at least, you bleed the most the first time. They've all been there, and they probably don't want to think about it. They'll warm up to you soon enough."

I glanced quickly around the room again, and realized why it was darker than before. Fire nymphs emanate a natural glow when they're calm (they start wildfires when they're angry). And our resident fire nymph was missing.

"Where's the fire nymph?" I asked.

"Ignacia? Oh she was next on the rotation. Marshall Lee goes from newest to oldest. Ignacia is actually fourth-newest. You've been out a while." Bonnibel answered.

"What does he just have sex all day? I know it has to last longer than night time."

Bonnibel, and a few of the other girls who overheard giggled.

"No," Bonnibel said. "He does this every Sabbath day, out of spite I suppose. And you're in the Vampire Realm. It's always night here."

"Oh... But wait! You're a tree nymph! You're connected to a tree, and that tree is connected to you. You both need sunlight. How do you survive?"

"Marceline allows me visits to the human world. She goes with me every month or so to feed. But she hasn't killed in a long time. Just taking what she needs. Which works for her. I think she enjoys the hunting, but she doesn't care for killing."

I ignore the moral standing of the Vampire Queen and say, "So you know the way out of here?!"

Bonnibel looked at me with pity. I hated that look. "No, I'm sorry. Only royal vampires can create inter dimensional portals. Vampires don't even really need blood to survive. They just crave it. That's their eternal torture. And Marceline does not interfere in her brother's affairs. I'm not sure she's powerful enough to cross him anyway. He's becoming stronger, and we aren't sure why."

A low creaking sound came from the wall, and suddenly the stone door was open, and Ignacia was thrown back in. She regained her balance before falling, but swayed as she stood. Otherwise, though, she didn't even look harmed.

"Are you alright?" Bonnibel asked her.

"Yeah...," Ignacia said. "I'm okay. I think I irk him. Everything he does hurts, but it doesn't actually inflict a bruise. Otherwise I'd be all black and blue. He probably likes to see the wounds. He seemed pretty satisfied after having a go a blondie over there," she gestured toward me. "I'm glad it hasn't occurred to him to throw water on me yet. I suppose he'll try that when he wants to kill me." She then went to lean against a wall and slide down. And she didn't talk again.

I paid her speech little heed. I was already trying to formulate a plan.

I had to meet the Vampire Queen, and I had to get her to help me.

And I didn't have to wait long.

The door creaked again, opening to reveal a girl who looked disturbingly like Marshall Lee. I almost flinched at her presence. She wore a dark blue cotton dress that showed her arms and legs (which surprised me. I think she was the only one who didn't choose between wearing red, leather, or nothing). Her raven hair tumbled down almost to her knees, and she was floating ten inches off the ground. She had a sheepish expression on her face.

"I'm sorry, Bonnibel," the girl said.

Bonnibel smiled mock-innocently. "For what, Marceline?"

Marceline growled at her. "You aren't making this easy."

Yeah," Bonnibel smirked. "That's what makes it fun."

Marceline sighed. "I'm sorry I got angry and yelled at you. And just because you ate some of my food does not mean you're just like my dad, that you don't love me, or that you're a heartless demon. I should have listened. I know you were just curious as to what pig's blood tasted like."

I tried desperately not to bust out laughing. That's what the fight was about?

"Apology accepted!" Bonnibel said. "Now come on and meet Fionna, your brother's newest... Toy."


	5. Chapter 5

**Dear everyone who has read and reviewed this story: You guys fucking rock. I'm not just saying that I swear. Enjoy chapter... 5?**

I never expected the Vampire Queen to be as childish as Marceline was. She seemed to have little control over her emotions, and always had a glimpse of mischief in her eyes. And while I distinctly remember being a similar brand of immature before being captured, I couldn't help but notice that it just didn't seem to fit her appearance. She looked more demonic than her brother, despite sharing similarities in appearance. She looked sexy and alluring and deadly, the way a vampire is supposed to. But she was practically nothing like Marshall Lee, so I had little problem with her presence.

She looked me up and down, lingering over my naked form. She seemed to stare past the bruises, as if they had no effect on her. Bonnibel lightly punched her in the arm.

"Don't stare at Fionna like that," Bonnibel said. "She's your brother's. Not yours. And you wouldn't want me to get jealous now would you?"

Marceline smirked. She smirked different from her brother. Her face held no malice.

"It isn't that... Although she is quite fetching, it's her blood that's mouthwatering. It's almost time to go back and feed."

And there was my chance.

No one could say subtlety was my strong suit back then.

I reached up and grasped her ankle. "Please take me with you!" I begged.

Marceline looked at my, pitying me I suppose. I heard Ignacia mutter, "Oh here we go."

"Fionna, I can't. While I don't agree with his conduct, I cannot control what my brother does." Marceline said. "Even if I take you. He will simply hunt you back down. He is too powerful to stop."

I feel a surge of anger flow through me as I yell, "You're just trying to save your ass! You don't think you can take him, so you won't even try! But you're immortal! How is he going to kill you?"

I see sadness overtake the Vampire Queen. Her shoulders droop. "He cannot permanently damage me physically. You're right, I am immortal. But Bonnibel is not as physically invulnerable. And he knows... We are twins so he always knows... That she is my greatest weakness. Take away her, take away me. I would give my immortality to protect her. I would gladly be turned to ash. But I know my brother. He would just kill her after getting rid of me. I cannot help you, Fionna the Human. She is too important."

She must have said those words many times, because the only one who seemed moved by the Vampire Queen's speech was Bonnibel and myself. I understood now. I didn't know demons could love, or that monsters could feel such compassion. Maybe she did deserve Bonnibel. Unconventional as they were, I could see the connection between the two when they looked at each other, the love. Bonnibel's complete adoration for Marceline was palpable. And the way Marceline's intense expression softened when she looked at the tree nymph was remarkable.

It also made me feel intensely jealous. I would never experience this type of love or companionship. No, I was doomed to spend the rest of my days being a sexual outlet for a demon. I clenched my fists. Now was not the time to think about this. I would just end up getting upset.

"So," Bonnibel said, "sorry about the false hope... How bad did it hurt? Sometimes it's easier if you talk about it. You can be honest. There's no point in being brave. You have nothing to prove here."

I'm not sure why, but I felt I could be honest. Here I was in a room of girls who had been through the exact same thing.

"Like hell. It hurt like hell. He bit me and tried to rip me apart with his nails like an animal. And cut slowly with the dagger. Like he was doing ceremoniously. But I didn't scream, not once."

"Why didn't you scream?" Marceline asked.

"Because... I felt like if there was one thing I could keep him from taking from me, I should hold on to it. I tried to convince myself it wasn't as bad as it seemed."

Bonnibel and Marceline looked at each other, like they new something I didn't. I didn't like that look.

"What?" I asked. "What is it?"

"Sometimes..." Bonnibel said. She leaned in close and whispered, like she didn't want the others to hear. "When Marshall Lee obtains complete control over his victims, he attempts to take her as a wife. You were right when you said the incisions from the dagger were ceremonial. He uses it to slowly make the girl he's with infatuated with him. But it's often slow going. While the girl usually has no choice but to submit, the forced attraction takes a long time, because they still see him as a monster, whether they're resigned to their fate or not. But usually the girl will die long before it works. The only person it's ever worked on is Ashley, but he lacks interest in her. Chances are he will dispose of her soon."

"So what? I'm eventually going to be subservient to him and fall in love with him?" I said, appalled.

"Maybe not," Marceline said. "He doesn't use the paralyzing spell he likely originally used on you upon greeting in his chambers. He likes the sadistic torture. And now, the only time you will see him is in his chambers. Most girls, completely submit after the first cut, and cannot resist anything. They can't even think. But you could resist screaming. No one has ever done that. But he's never had a human before. You might be immune. And if you are..."

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Bonnibel asked.

"Indeed, Bonnie, I believe I am," Marceline said.

"Well I'm not," I said, "So what are you thinking?"

They grinned at me, wolflike, and said in near perfect unison, "We're thinking, you could overthrow him."

"Wait... What?" I said, confused.

"If you're immune to the spell, you can act like you aren't, and retain your will. Pretend that the dagger actually works faster on humans. You could become his wife, you would become a vampire, and kill him."

"I don't want to become a monster!" I said. "No offense..." The room spun a bit. I had forgotten I was wounded.

"It's that or die in a few months when he gets bored with you," Marceline said. "If you kill him, you can set yourself and everyone else free."

"But how do I kill him?" I asked. Marshall Lee was practically all powerful. How do you kill a demon king?

"It's lucky, I suppose, that the most powerful creatures have the largest downfalls," Marceline said. "The only way I am aware of that will kill my brother is beheading him, with the dagger used to cut you, which was forged using his own blood. Can you do it?"

I didn't hesitate. This wasn't what I had hoped for. I didn't want to be a monster. But Marceline was a vampire, and she still seemed to feel human emotions. I could do this. I would do this. I would set all these girls free.

"I'll do it."


	6. Chapter 6

**Have I mentioned you guys are awesome? Just remember, this is rated M for a reason.**

On the next Sabbath day, as I was once again dragged to the Vampire King's chambers, I desperately tried to remember everything Marceline (it didn't feel right to address her as Vampire Queen, she wasn't formal enough for such titles) and Bonnibel had given in their instruction. I ran it all through my head like a mantra, praying I wasn't forgetting anything.

_Don't fight him._

_Keep your head low. Be submissive. Be broken, resigned._

_Don't act like you're enjoying it fully. He may get suspicious._

_Cross over to the bed, lay down on your back in silence._

_If he gives orders, follow them._

_Moan once in a while. He won't be quite so rough this time. If there's ever a point where it's mildly pleasurable, moan, and let him have his power. If it's ever unbearably painful, moan, and he will think highly of you and what he perceives as a liking for physical pain._

_Do not scream. Just as before. It will keep him from thinking the spell has worked too fast, and it will keep him intrigued._

_Good luck._

They had said "good luck" in unison. They knew I would need all the luck in the world.

Saying that I was scared would be the biggest understatement of the millennium. I was terrified. So quickly after resigning myself to a torturous death, I was beginning to hope again. And with the hope came the fear. If I failed I would die.

But if I succeeded, I would live.

The stone walls of the cavernous corridors loomed far above me, but it still felt as if they were closing in the closer we came to the Vampire King's chambers. When I reached the ornate door, I was bestowed with the *ahem* _privilege _courtesy of the guards to open it myself.

He waited for me completely nude (quite a shame that he was evil. Even with the grey skin, he was an exquisite male specimen), as if he didn't want to waste any more time than necessary. He smiled maliciously, and motioned for me to come to him. Instead, I did as Marceline had said, and laid on the bed, placing my arms above my head, and tried to look submission.

"Skipping ahead won't make this go faster," Marshall Lee said.

"I figured it would be best that we get straight to the point," I said back. I dared a quick glance over to him. His smile hadn't wavered, but he almost seemed disappointed. Like the fight had left me too quickly for him to fully enjoy it.

"Very well. Are you prepared to scream?" He asked.

I attempted to sound defeated when I said, "I didn't do vocal warm-ups or anything."

He chuckled. "I think you'll stay on-key just fine."

And then it began.

And Bonnibel and Marceline were right.

It wasn't as bad.

He came to the bed and straddled me, like last time. He didn't even bother tying my limbs, like he knew it didn't matter now. He leaned down and bit me, like last time. But unlike last time, after I hissed at the pain, he licked the wound, and then applied something soft there very quickly.

It wasn't until later that I realized he kissed my neck.

Instead of last time, he didn't just hurt me.

He still clawed at me like an animal. His nails were like razor blades that slashed at my skin, causing blood to drip down and pool in the sheets until the red silk absorbed the color. But between each frenzy, he would briefly caress the skin he had marred.

Trying to work the spell, I realized. Trying to make himself seem like less of a demon.

I moaned softly when he brushed his lips over my right breast. I could feel his smirk, his expression change into one of triumph. As he continued to trail his lips down my stomach, he sunk his nails into my sides, dragging down at the same, slow pace.

I did not scream.

He removed himself from me, forced me onto my hands and knees. He pressed his erection onto my lips, and commanded, "Suck."

_Follow orders._ I had been told.

So I did, until he grew tired of it (or perhaps he didn't want to cut the escapade short), and pushed me onto me back.

He summoned the dagger. He cut all the same places open that Bonnibel had worked so hard to heal into angry pink lines. The same patterns, the same agonizing pace. It was almost bearable in its familiarity, until he took the dagger, reached between my legs, and shoved it inside of me.

I did not scream.

I gripped the bedsheets desperately, clenched my teeth, and did as I was told.

I moaned.

He stabbed again.

I moaned.

It became a cycle until I had lost so much of my insides it was a wonder I wasn't dead. The pain was blinding. His invading stabs went from controlled to frenzied and I moaned at every single one until I had almost convinced myself it felt good. I knew his frustration was growing. I wasn't screaming. For all he knew, I was enjoying it.

Finally, he stopped. I dared to look up, and he smiled. The smile almost seemed... Genuine. Human even. I guess I passed the test.

I was submitting to him, and I could handle extreme pain.

I showed promise.

"I believe you've earned a reward," he said.

He whispered something in a foreign tongue, and waved a hand over my lower region. The bleeding there stopped, I could feel tattered tissue coming back together, until it didn't hurt at all. Oddly enough, the bleeding from my waist up persisted.

And what happened next didn't hurt at all, save for the stinging from all the other wounds.

He trailed his lips down my body again, and the claws didn't accompany the sensation. He spread my legs with one hand, his lips reaching my center. His cold breath teased my folds, and my legs involuntarily spread wider. He dove in, then, pushing his tongue inside of me, swirling it, tasting every inch of my walls.

And it felt good.

It felt better than any sensation I had experienced before.

The pleasure built and built, but before I could find any release, he extracted his tongue and sat up. He lifted me into his lap, and positioned me over his ever-present erection. He lowered me suddenly. And the intrusion wasn't painful this time. His hands were on my hips, moving me up and down. He was animalistic, like before, impaling me on him. But it didn't hurt.

It didn't hurt one bit.

It was a good thing I had been ordered to moan. Because I couldn't hold them back now. He pressed his lips into my collarbone, groaning into my skin. The pleasure came to a crescendo, then dropped, suddenly. He followed swiftly behind. He lifted me off of him, but before he strode to the doors to order the guards to make the switch, he grasped the dagger again, trailed it teasingly down my body.

"Well done," he said breathlessly, before slicing shallowly once more over my heart.

And I was escorted back to the cell, I thought, _I still hate him. I still think he's an animal. I'm certainly not infatuated. I still have every desire to kill him..._

_I still did not scream. But I will allow myself to enjoy it when necessary._


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Took me a while working on this (for those of you who think that I should automatically update whenever you feel like it, just a little reminder that I am a human being. With a life. That does not revolve around this website or story and does revolve around homework. Just in case you forgot). Enjoy chapter... What chapter is this? 7?**

Fooling the Vampire King was much more slow-going than anticipated. It took at least three more Sabbath Days of moaning at blood and pain before any new developments arose. Three Sabbath Days of fighting every urge to spit in Marshall Lee's face and instead slowly pretending to transition from broken spirit to infatuated slave.

But I didn't despise every second.

The more I conformed to his wishes, the greater his so-called rewards became. They lasted longer. The pleasure was completely enthralling. It was almost bearable to keep the act up just for that. It's wasn't enough to fall for him. But it was enough to get me through. He wasn't even bothering with the demonic paralysis anymore. It wasn't necessary in his eyes.

The Vampire King had made a grave mistake in enslaving me.

It was on the sixth Sabbath Day that progress showed. In the few minutes before I was summoned, Bonnibel gave me the instruction to scream.

I immediately refused.

"What?! No!" I shrieked. "That's the one thing I have that he doesn't." I didn't understand. If I was submissive to him in every other way, couldn't I just have a high pain tolerance?

"That's precisely why you must give it to him. Your ability to fight threatens him. I believe we've successfully convinced him that the spell works faster on humans. The scream is your last form of resistance. Give it up, and he is yours," she said calmly. "Just don't do it immediately. Then he'll be suspicious."

I wanted to fight her. I wanted to stand by my last shred of morals. I wanted so desperately to somehow bust out of the cell and fight my way back to the human world. I wanted to see my sister Cake again. But I knew Bonnibel was right. Fighting my way out wasn't an option. Manipulation was.

I sighed in resignation, and when the guards came to take me away, I greeted them with my head high. I even put a little spring in my step, befuddling the guards.

When I reached Marshall Lee's chambers, I grinned when his gaze fell upon me. I didn't grin seductively, more excitedly, as if I was happy just to be in his presence. He smirked back, pleased that the spell was "working."

I sauntered over to the bed, hips swaying teasingly. I sat down on the edge, spread my legs in what I hoped was an appealing manner, arms at my sides.

"Ready when you are," I said.

"Always ready for you," he said back.

He crossed over to me. His pale grey flesh almost seemed inviting. He lay me down with one hand, and summoned the dagger with the other. I braced myself for the pain. I was so covered with scars. Bonnibel was a good healer, but she could only do so much.

He leaned down and bit my neck first, like usual. I felt my breath hitch. He dragged his teeth down my shoulder, across my chest and stopped inbetween my breasts. The two lines of ripped flesh bled profusely, and I moaned like I was supposed to, thankful for the tolerance I had built to this sort of pain. Unfortunately, being used to pain doesn't make it hurt any less.

Then came the claws, the blood frenzy, the accompanying dizziness associated with severe blood loss. All of it. I moaned and gasped and arched my way through all of it. And when he came to the ceremonial incisions, I waited. I knew the pattern now. I knew which one was going to make me scream. The last one.

He reached down between my legs, and when he roughly shoved the dagger inside of me, I opened my throat and I screamed.

I screamed all the screams I should've let loose a long time ago. All the ones I had nearly vocalized at every climax of pain.

He continued to roughly shove the dagger inside of me, and I screamed with each stab. I even let tears fall. I dared a glance at Marshall Lee, and he was grinning wider than I had ever seen. I knew what he was thinking without him uttering a word. _I've got her._

When he finally decided that enough was enough, instead of just healing me lower half, he healed my whole body, until all the cuts were gone, and all evidence of past scars. Even the scars I had received in the human world.

What happened next was the most surprising event since my arrival.

For the first time in possibly his whole existence, the Vampire King was gentle.

He kissed me, then. His sharp canines dug into my teeth, but that was nothing. His forked tongue slipped inside of my mouth, and we began a battle for dominance that I let him easily win. His hands lightly caressed my sides, my breasts, and my thighs. His lips moved to my neck, kissing down my collarbone to my left breast. He took the stiff nipple into his mouth, kissing and biting. I arched my back into his touch.

While working my chest with his mouth, his fingers reached between my legs and spread my folds. He slipped two fingers inside of me, pumping in and out and curling in a rhythm that made me see white.

Before I could climax, he pulled his fingers away. He slid his length inside of me, thrusting at a slow pace that might've even seemed romantic to the casual observer. Instead of blatantly exerting his power, he almost seemed loving. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around his neck, and locked my legs around his waist. Instead of pushing me back down, he responded to this enthusiastically, thrusting harder. I came milliseconds after him, with a content sigh. He retracted himself from me, and helped me up. He led me to the door, his hand on the small of my back.

"I'll see you soon, Fionna," he said. His tone, for once not condescending, hinted at pleasures to come.

Feeling bold, I turned to face him, and kissed him sweetly. He responded eagerly, and I withdrew almost reluctantly. Oh how he thinks he's warping my mind by feigning romance.

As I returned to my cell, I smiled to myself and thought, _I'm in._


	8. Chapter 8

**I've been hit with the sudden urge to keep writing.**

I never became close with many of the other girls. They kept to themselves, mostly. Some were frightened. Some were too broken to speak. And some were likely too frightened by their slowly developing infatuation with their captor to attempt any social activity. Bonnibel still tended all of their wounds, when they came back from their "shift."

Ignacia turned out to be the exception. I had quickly forgotten about her after our initial meetings, despite her dim glow being the only source of light in the dismal room. But, as fate would have it, she wouldn't let me forget about her.

She came to me after her shift ended, her impish face wearing a grim, determined expression. She sank to her knees across from me, back straight as a board. She leaned in, so the other girls wouldn't hear (like they cared), and said, "I'm not deaf. I know what you and Bonnibel are plotting. And... I refuse to get my hopes up," it seemed she had already gotten her hopes up, "but if you succeed... If you succeed, I want you to promise me you'll free us. All of us. Even the ones who are mostly gone. Even Ashley. I... I need to see someone again. I left him on bad terms and... Please. If you can. Help us."

I didn't ask her who this person was, and in the end, she never did tell me. Instead, I said, "I promise. If I can, I'll get you all out of here."

She nodded, and moved back to the other side of the room to lay down. Marshall Lee seemed to have done a real number on her, so we spoke little after that.

I had begun to suspect that I hadn't successfully convinced Marshall Lee that I was completely his, and tried to plan my next move, and my strategy for the next time, when, four days before the next Sabbath Day, I was summoned to his chambers.

The guards didn't grasp any of my limbs this time. They weren't even really escorting me. I knew the way, so they just trailed behind. I knocked on the ornate chamber door once. It opened, and I entered the familiar room. Marshall Lee was fully clothed this time, sitting on his bed. He patted the space beside him, and I went and sat at his side. His arm encircled my waist, and I let my head lean in against his shoulder just a little.

The air quickly grew tense. I knew he didn't just summon me to hold me close. He wasn't the type to waste time.

"I need an heir," he said without warning.

"I'm sorry?" I replied.

"I obviously plan to stay in power as long as I can, but I need a successor. Someone who will take over if I am destroyed. The difficulty with that is, my sister refuses to rule the Vampire Realm, and while vampires cannot have children, demons can. I'm half demon, but the chances of me producing offspring with anything but another demon is highly unlikely. And most demons are rather unsavory creatures. So, to have someone to take over the kingdom in the event of my demise that I trust and have little against, since I will clearly have plenty of things against my murderer, I would need a wife. You are to be that wife."

"I am?" I said, trying to act befuddled. I guess it worked.

"You understand that there is no refusal to this proposal." It wasn't a question. But I answered anyway.

"Of course Your Majesty," I said.

"Does this please you?"

"Yes, of course!" I tried for an elated smile.

"Do you love me?"

The lie almost comes naturally, "Yes I do."

He smiles, as if to say_ Foolish mortals and their emotions. _He turned and faced me. I stared back at him, allowing myself to appear lost in the blood-red color of his eyes.

"I don't know what humans do for wedding ceremonies," he said, "last I heard it revolved around white dresses to symbolize virginity, and, it's too late for that. But demon weddings are very simple. But first, in order to be my wife, you cannot be mortal."

Here it was. The part I had been dreading most of all. The loss of any hope of returning to the human world as a human. I couldn't see Cake after this. She'd think I was a monster.

I was going to become a monster.

He leaned down, and slowly sunk his fangs into my neck, like he had so many times before. But this time, I felt something release. A deathly cold liquid being injected into my system. It spread throughout my body, like my veins had been taken over by frostbite. It made harsh winters look like lazy summer days.

Marshall Lee summoned the dagger, and with the venom coursing through my system, he said. "The final step."

And he stabbed me in the heart.

The pain was unreal. He'd stabbed me before, but with the venom in me, it was like the blade had just been taken out of a burning fireplace. He didn't pull the dagger out of my chest. The blood that oozed out around it was pitch black.

"Would you do anything for me?" Marshall Lee asked.

"Yes," I said instinctively. The pain squashed my morals.

"Would you bear a son for me if you could?"

"Yes."

"Would you die for me?"

"Without hesitation."

And with that, he withdrew the knife from my chest. No blood followed it, and the wound closed up on its own. I stared down in shock. My skin, which was tanned from spending my life outdoors, was bone white.

"Then you are now, officially, my Queen," he said. "Look in the mirror."

I glanced at the full length mirror over in a far corner.

I had no reflection.

I touched Marshall Lee's arm. He didn't feel cold, like usual. He felt, normal. I guessed that meant I was as cold as a corpse too.

With the dead heart to match.

And for the first time, I felt a new hunger inside of me. A hunger for power. And a hunger for revenge.

I fought the urge to smile. I still had complete control over myself. I could kill him easily. In fact, not only was I going to kill him, I was going to make his death unimaginably painful. I would force upon him all the pain he'd forced upon me. I was going to steal his seat of power, and rule the Vampire Realm.

And the foolishly powerful Vampire King had given me all of the tools to do so.


	9. Chapter 9

**Have I mentioned you guys are awesome? Well, you guys are awesome.**

"So," Marshall Lee said, "any thoughts?"

_Oh, I don't know,_ I thought. _I am so on top of the world because of triumph I could jump for joy right now? Oh you stupid fool, I'm going to kill you, right where you killed me. Wait... I can't get ahead of myself. I can't kill him immediately. I don't even know where the dagger is, or how he summons it. For all I know, it materializes out of thin air._

"It's a bit... Disorienting," I said. That much was true. I hadn't realized how perceptive vampire eyes could be. I could see even the most minute details. Or any of the senses for that matter. When he spoke, it was like his voice was booming in my ears. I could hear a spider crawling on the ceiling without even having to look at it.

He chuckled softly. "Yes. The new body is quite an adjustment," he said.

"New body?" Didn't I look relatively the same?

"That's what the venom does. It completely transforms you. Few of my powers are actually demonic. My strength and speed mostly comes from being a vampire. Every bit of you is harder, sharper, and more refined. The bite doesn't just change your diet. You're faster, stronger, and much more resilient."

Now that, would prove useful.

I was going to kill him soon, but, something occurred to me.

Why not enjoy it while it lasts?

"Well," I said, lowering my eyelids seductively, "why don't we break in my new body?"

Maybe I would get lucky. Maybe he would summon the knife.

He smirked at me. "That sounds like a fine idea."

Where he had before been a blur, now I could track his movement as he swiftly picked me up and laid me down on the bed. I had to physically restrain myself into being submissive, as before. No bite came this time, instead he kissed me. He did so hungrily, greedily, but it was a fine start nonetheless. I held my arms above my head, as per usual, when he said,

"Feel free to touch me."

Oh is he slipping.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. I wrapped my legs around his waist, and ground myself against him. My arousal seemed more intense than it ever had. Maybe it was the vampirism, or maybe it was the close proximity to victory. It doesn't matter.

He kissed and sucked his way down my neck. I arched my back into him as he caressed my sides. It was almost like he was worshipping me. Heh, who else would a demon worship but his vampire bride? I felt my head spin. I became lost in the kisses and moans and the feel of dead skin on dead skin. But something snapped me out of it.

He summoned the dagger.

"For old time's sake," he said, smirking.

That really brought me back to earth. No matter how good this felt, no matter what, he was still a monster. And I would have my revenge.

Just as he was about to begin the first of the incisions, I wrestled the knife out of his grip. He looked shocked that I'd done anything so bold. Too shocked to react, thankfully. And before there could be any sort of fight, before he could regain the upper hand, I stabbed him in the heart.

And the bed chamber exploded into darkness.

For a moment, there was nothing. Then, there was a little red flicker of light, like a candle flame in the distance. I ran toward it until it towered over me. I touched it, hesitantly, and was surprised to find it ice cold. Icy flames ran up my arms, the consumed me, until I felt like I had been completely burned up. I realized that this was Marshall Lee's power. Or maybe his soul. But he was a demon. Did demons even have souls?

Then suddenly, all sensation subsided.

When the light returned, along with reality, all that remained of Marshall Lee was a pile of ash. I still gripped the dagger in my hand, and I suddenly felt stronger. Like I could destroy everything in the world with a single word. I honestly didn't know what to do first. Kill the guards, maybe? Fine the throne and sit on it? That sounded good.

Then, I remembered a distant promise I made to a fire nymph.

I strode back to the cell with my head held high. I knew the way by heart by then. Any time a guard crossed my path, I would fling him into one of the obsidian walls with a flick of my hand. I didn't even need a key to open the door. Almost instinctively, I said a few words in a foreign tongue, and the door bid my will. My eyes didn't even need time to adjust to the darkness.

But I wish that they did.

The first thing I saw were Marceline and Bonnibel, staring at me with wolfish smiles. The next thing I saw was Marceline's blood soaked dress and Bonnibel's blood-soaked skin. And then all the girls, hacked to pieces. Even Ignacia, whose glow had finally gone out. I stumbled back, appalled and scared out of my mind and unable to process what I was seeing. What frightened me the most was my desire to drink the freshly spilled blood. It was appetizing to me. I almost wanted to lick it up off of the cold stone floor.

"See," Bonnibel said, "I told you she could do it."

"I admit I had my doubts, even though my brother was an easily duped moron," Marceline said, "But she did it. And you know what that means Fionna?"

I scrambled away from them, trying desperately to get away, but they followed easily, like lions stalking their prey.

"It means," Bonnibel said, answering for me, "That the Vampire Realm is ours, and you're going to give it to us."

They pounced then, faster than lightning, before even I could react with my newfound power, and everything went black.


	10. Chapter 10

**Sorry about the wait.**

When I awoke, it was almost like when I first arrived in the Vampire Realm. It was dark, damp, my head was pounding, I was completely naked, and I had no idea what was going on. I was positioned on my knees. My arms were outstretched above me, bound to the wall. The shackles dug into my wrists. I tried to stand up, but I was yanked back. The sound of scraping chains let me know that my feet were bound too.

Two female figures stood in front of me. It took a minute of my eyes adjusting to realize that it was Marceline and Bonnibel. They were motionless.

"What are you doing?" I wheezed. "Get me out of here."

"Well well," Marceline said. Her voice was cold, like if a snake could speak. "It seems our little human has awoken. It's about time." I found it odd that she called me human, even though I obviously wasn't anymore.

"It's your fault it took so long, Marcy. You didn't have to hit her so hard. You know she has to be awake for this to work." Bonnibel's voice was teasing. But I still didn't know why...

"I got caught up in the moment," Marceline said sheepishly.

That's right. The dim bell rang in my head. They killed the girls... All of them. They wanted the Vampire Realm. But they were demons... At least Marceline was. Why did they have to use me to steal the power when they could easily have done it themselves? It didn't make any sense.

"Why did you...?" I trailed off. The strength I had before was gone. I felt like I was human again, except with less emotions. All I wanted was to crush the girl's before me. I wasn't scared or hurt at their betrayal. I was simply angry and confused.

"We're going to kill you, obviously," Marceline said. "That's the only way to steal your power."

I knew that already, conniving bitch.

"But why did you...?" I repeated, unable to say more.

"I believe our little Fionna here wants to know why we had to use her to get what we want," Bonnibel said. Her tone sent shivers down my spine. It almost reminded me of Marshall Lee's. But Bonnibel was smarter, more cunning, maybe even more malicious. And she was definitely more deadly.

"Ah," Marceline said. "Alright little human, I can give you that much. You see, when my twin and I were born, neither one of us was the eldest, so we were both equally eligible to the throne. Our father refused to let a female rule the Vampire Realm, so he put a spell on the only person that could ever rival Marshall Lee in power. Me."

"It really is heartbreaking," Bonnibel said. "We could've done this a long time ago without you if this weren't the case."

I mentally cursed the twin's father, and Marceline continued with her story.

"According to the curse, which so far we have been unable to break, states that no harm or magic that is cast by my hand or the hand of someone I am affectionate for can ever touch Marshall Lee. This curse holds true, I'm afraid. I've tried to kill him myself for eons. So has Bonnie. She's not quite the innocent tree nymph she used to be."

Bonnibel giggles. "Of course I'm not. You've been teaching me dark magic for so long."

"You're still just as beautiful."

"That's true."

Marceline kissed her then, shamelessly running her hands over Bonnibel's bare skin. They got so lost in each other that I had to clear my throat just to get Marceline to focus. Bonnibel swayed a little when they broke apart.

"Right," Marceline said. " So when I heard that my fool of a brother had brought a human into his little personal brothel, a species he's never had before, I hatched a plan with Bonnibel and sent her down there. And none of the girls really noticed because they were going insane due to that little ritual of his. Truth is, the infatuation spell works on humans just fine as long as there's no inteference. So Bonnibel just had to reverse the effects when she treated your wounds. So our plan worked. Now we get to kill you. End of story."

"You didn't have to kill them," I said. Finally, a full sentence.

"We didn't have to," Bonnibel said, "but it sure makes our lives easier. Freeing them was your goal. Your powers are ambition based. Take away ambition, and take away your hope to succeed, and it's much harder for you to break out of those chains. Anyway, I think that's enough story-telling. Marcy, you have the dagger?"

"On it."

Marceline brought the dagger out of the folds of her blood-stained dress. She stalked toward me slowly, relishing the feeling of victory I suppose. I begged her to stop the whole way, desperately.

"How pitiful," Marceline said, "The lion becomes the lamb on the way to her slaughter. Have fun in hell, say hello to my mother for me."

I started to say something really sad and cliché, like "Please no!" But she stabbed me right where my heart used to be before I can, and darkness exploded again.

0o0o0

The first thing I registered is that I could think, and that I could feel. I opened my eyes, and I was met with red. Fire, all around me. The landscape was vast and barren. Sulfur smoke filled the air. Charred bodies and skeletons roamed around, moaning desperately, only to be gobbled up by oddly shaped beings with red and grey skin.

"Well well," a familiar voice said. I turned and I saw Marshall Lee smirking at me. No. NO!

"You're supposed to be dead!" I shrieked.

"So are you," he said, "This is a pleasing surprise. I was prepared to wait multiple millennias for my revenge. It's only been a few hours. Lucky me. But before we begin, Fionna the not so human, let me formally welcome you to the demon realm. Better know as the Night O'Sphere. Now, onto the torture." He grabbed my hand and pulled me forward.

"Where are you taking me," I asked, frightened.

"You're going to meet my mother."


	11. Chapter 11

**Um... Hi...**

Marshall Lee grasped my wrist and dragged me through the Night O'Sphere, completely disregarding the souls we were stepping on, the demons trying to eat them, and every single one of my protests. I constantly struggled against his grip, and although he didn't seem to be near as strong as he was before, I had lost some of my power as well. At the very least, he answered my questions.

"Why are we in the demon realm?" I asked, confused. And he shrugged.

"It's a part of the Underworld, really. Humans call it hell, and it's where all the wicked souls go, and they're feasted upon by the demons that reside here. Though I haven't figured out why they fear it so much. The other parts of the Underworld are relatively bleak," he stated.

"Okay, but why are _we _here?" I repeated.

"We were both vanquished, which sends us to the Underworld. And we were both wicked," he flashed a grin, "and part demon, even though you stole your power. Honestly, where else would we go?"

Well, that explained a lot. I could see why humans were so terrified at the idea of being sent here for all eternity. But I wondered what happened when a demon actually did eat you. Did you cease to exist, or continue to exist in the demon's gullet? So many questions...

"Why are you taking me to meet your mother?" I asked. "If you wan your revenge, why not just take it right now?"

"Heh, taking you to meet her could count as revenge all by itself, but it was a personal request from her, so I figured I would oblige. My mother is the first of the demons, you see. She's chaos embodied. So she wanted to meet the woman who was capable of tearing me down and stealing my power. She wants to congratulate you."

"But I was vanquished."

"She also wants to rub that in your face. Who destroyed you anyway?" One of his eyebrows quirked.

I figured that there wasn't much use in lying to him, if I was doomed anyway.

"Your sister, and Bonnibel," I said.

"What?!" He roared. His voice echoed across the ash-dusted plains. "Why would my sister kill you?!"

"That was their plan all along," I said, hanging my head low, and chastising myself for being so stupid... Daring to hope. "They tricked me into thinking that infatuation didn't work on humans, when really Bonnibel was just counteracting it. And they had me trick you into thinking it worked faster, saying I could overthrow you if I became your wife, and set the girls free. But they destroyed me a few hours after I obtained your power."

"That conniving little bitch! And you, Fionna the Human! I should kill you on the spot!"

"For what?!" I screamed incredulously.

"For being involved in such a plan! For plotting to overthrow me!"

"Well I'm sorry mister, high and mighty blue blooded demon, that when you stole my freedom and gave me a place in your own little brothel I was ungrateful and tried to get out of it so I could go home! But I guess you wouldn't care about that, would you? You're a demon. I highly doubt you know what love feels like, let alone have a set of morals. In fact, I think you're a damn fool. Your sister certainly thought so. You're entire family is demonic. Did it not occur to you that someone is likely constantly trying to steal your power?!" I didn't care if he could kill me. I was already dead. The rage I had been harboring was startling, but I do believe it was justified. But it wasn't until just then that I realized how my goals had changed. I wanted to see my sister again. That much was true. But I had become so misguided. I had wanted revenge so badly, that I sacrificed my escape. And here I was, paying for it.

He looked at me, eyes wide. He almost seemed afraid of me. I liked that.

"I knew she wanted it," he said quietly, "and I knew about the curse on her too. I had thought she'd given up centuries ago... Well... Now you really need to meet my mother."

I sighed, exasperated. "Why?"

"Because she's going to help me get my revenge on Marceline. And, maybe if you're polite and help me out, I'll let you go back home."

There was no way.

"I'm not cooperating on a maybe," I said.

"Well you certainly made a lot of solemn vows a few hours ago that you broke. You're just going to have to trust me."

I scoffed at that, but I guess I didn't have much choice, now did I. And with that, Marshall Lee dragged me to an odd obsidian rock formation in the distance, surrounded by swirking clouds of a perpetual lightning storm. And when we reached the bottom, he threw me over my shoulder, ignoring my protests, and flew to the top and into a cave.

Despite outward appearances, the inside of the cave was brightly lit with torches and lavishly furnished. An entire palace was built into the side of a mountain. There was an ornate desk on one of the far walls of the grand foyer, and at it, sat a woman. She was elegantly pretty, with long black hair and gref skin like Marshall Lee's. But her eyes were purple and slitted, like a cat's, or maybe a dragon's. She had an aristocratic face, and wore long, flowing purple robes.

When she caught sight of Marshall Lee, she smiled so wide I could see all her dagger-like teeth. She said, "Marshy! My darling boy! Is this the girl?! Oh honestly put her down!" Her voice was lilting, and toxic. But I was too bust snickering at the fact that she just called the Vampire King "Marshy."

"Hannah," he said stiffly to her, "meet Fionna. Fionna, this is my mother."

The family resemblance was striking.

She was in front of us in a flash. She perused my face carefully.

"Reduced to a mere demon fledgling after impalation and subsequent loss of vampiric powers," she said like she was inspecting me for shipment. Oh how tragic. Finally triumphant, but only for a moment. Tell me dear, how did you steal my son's power?"

"Marceline and that pink mate of hers used her as a pawn," Marshall Lee said bitterly.

"What's a demon fledgling?" I asked.

"Oh, sweetheart, a demon fledgling is a new demon without a specific power. There are fire demons and magic demons and sex demons and all sorts of kinds really. I could assign you a sector if you'd like-"

"Mother please," Marshall Lee cut it.

"Oh you're so impatient. I assume you want my help to retake your throne. But the best I can do is open the portal and send you back to the Vampire Realm. Once you got there, however, the girls would likely destroy you. Oh I'm so proud of my Marcy, finally coming into her own! Your blasted father wouldn't have any of it, of course. Good thing he's dead," she said. "The only person who could really challenge her in power now would be him, since you're both little more than fledglings. And the resurrection spell is quite a lengthy process."

Marshall snapped his fingers. "Resurrection, of course!"

"Marshy, are you sure that's the path you want to take?" Hannah asked, warning laced in her voice.

"Of course! I have to destroy My sister, whatever it takes. I know the cost. Fionna stop snickering, and I swear if you call me Marshy I'm going to end you."

"Too late," I said.

Hannah nodded, and Marshall threw my back over his shoulder And flew us out of the cave and over the Night O'Sphere.

"Where are we going?" I yelled over the wind.

"To get the first ingredient in a resurrection spell," he said. "A soul."

"But there are souls everywhere! Why are we flying over so many? Just pick one!"

"A spell like this requires a soul blacker than the one we're bringing back. I know only one person who fits the bill. That's who we're going to see. The remnants of the first human."


	12. Chapter 12

**Sorry for the wait. I've been a little caught up in Blood of Olympus, and mourning the end of my favorite book series, and dying inside. That's probably melodramatic, but I don't give a fuck. No more Percy Jackson... Okay, I think I'm done sobbing. For like the next ten seconds. Honestly is anyone else done with the book? If you are please PM me or something because I need to discuss things. Anyway enjoy chapter 12.**

"Wait a second. How is the first human in the demon realm?." The wind was still whistling in my ears. We'd been flying a long time, and I figured that that was the most sensible question to ask.

"Well she's not really the first human. She was more the first human that displayed current human tendencies. She was the most evolved from the Neandertals and other humanoid beings that came before her. And she was also the first of her kind to die," Marshall Lee replied. I sighed audibly.

"That doesn't answer my question, Marshall."

"Don't call me Marshall, human. Master works. Or Your Majesty." His voice took on a haughty tone, so I reached up and flicked his ear.

"First of all, I'm not human anymore," I said. "Second, I'm not your slave anymore, and you aren't king of anything anymore. In fact, right now, we're equals, and you are just going to have to learn to deal with it. Or else I might start calling you Marshy..." I smirked to myself.

"You wouldn't dare..."

"Marshy."

"Shut your mouth!"

"Maaaarshyyyyy!"

"Stop it!"

"Marshy the marshmallow!"

"I will drop you."

"Thank the stars, you'll finally let go of me."

"I'm not kidding."

"We're both fledglings. If you can fly, I can fly. Why are you even carrying me anyway?"

He grumbled to himself, but he didn't relase his grip, and we kept flying through the sulfurous air.

"You still haven't answered my question," I said quietly. "Why is she here?"

"Oh, she was the first to commit an act of true evil." He seemed nonchalant about it, and I suppose he would be, considering he was evil to the core. "She murdered her children."

"Why?!" I was appalled. I had few problems stabbing a demon, but murdering children? Suddenly I wasn't too keen on the idea of visiting this woman.

"Don't sound so shocked, Fionna. Before her, it was common for mothers to kill their own offspring. But it wasn't really evil, it was instinctual. There was no malice or forethought behind it. Just survival."

"How could doing such a thing promote survival?!"

"Sometimes there are too many children. Even then humans formed family units and stuck to their own unit. If there wasn't enough food to go around, well, kids couldn't really hunt for themselves until they were older. It was merciful, so as to not make them suffer through starvation. Really, her crimes were similar. The difference was that she thought about it. Weighed the options. She was one of the first with a complex soul. Quite a delicacy for us demons in the beginning. There were too many children. Her male mate had just died. She could only hunt so much. She considered abondoning them, but she didn't have the guts. Then, a terrible drought came, all the plants dried up and the animals died of thirst. So she decided she would rather survive than give her food to her children, so she killed them. And then she ate them because there was no other source of sustenance."

The way he talked about it, it almost sounded like he was proud of the woman. But I was terrified, disgusted. I had never particularly wanted children of my own, but I liked to provide for the orphans in my village. I had been one, once, before Cake's parents took me in. I could never kill one. I'd always put their survival over mine. Even now that I was a creature of darkness. That thought gave me a bit of solace. There was still some good in me.

But then a thought crossed my mind.

"So how is she still here if demons eat souls, and she was the first complex one to be sent here?" I asked.

"Because she isn't really. Demons don't consume the whole soul. They consume the good parts, the good feelings, and leave the darkness. That's how demons usually reproduce, since the human way of reproduction usually doesn't work. The shades of evil eventually develop into new demons. She became one long ago, but she's reclusive. Her soul is the darkest of all. Even darker than mine or yours," he answered.

I stayed silent after that, and finally we reached a rocky bluff with a single, gnarled black tree perched precariously on the edge. In the side of the bluff near the top was a cave (what was it with this place and caves?). Marshall Lee set me down at the entrance, and we stepped inside.

"Stay in the shadows," he whispered. "This could get ugly."

It was really just a cave. I don't know what I was expecting. Torture devices maybe. But there was literally nothing in the dark space but a hairy lump in the back corner. Marshall Lee called out a weird combination of clicks and sighs, and the lump in the corner stirred. All I could wonder is whether or not that was really what human language was like so long ago.

Apparently it was. The first human rose, and replied in a different combination of clicks and sighs. Her skin was very dark, and her eyes were black. She was surprisingly shirt, and her facial features were broad. Her coarse dark hair trailed along the floor, and she was completely naked, which for some reason reminded me of my own forgotten nudity. I had the urge to cover myself with my arms, but I fought it. She certainly didn't look intimidating.

Slowly, and to my surprise, their conversation translated in my head. I realized I could understand them.

_You have a meaningless existence, _came Marshall Lee's voice in my head. _All demons must suffer. Why not end your suffering?_

_You think I'm just going to hand over my soul to a mere fledgling?_ said a raspy voice in my head.

_I'm not just a fledgling! _

_Your former status means nothing to me. If you want my soul, I'm afraid you're going to have to take it from me._

_With pleasure._

And then Marshall Lee charged.

The former Vampire King was fast, but the first human was faster. As he ran forward, claws outstretched, ready to rip her throat out, she sidestepped, and slammed an elbow into the back of his head. He snarled and charged again. I knew Marshall's usual tactic was brute force, but I hadn't realized how easily bruge force could be outwitted. He charged again and again, and she did nothing but dodge and counter, toying with him. Finally, I suppose, she had grown sick of her game, and grasped Marshall Lee by the throat. He struggled, but was no match for her. He clutched at his throat desperately. And I couldn't just let her kill him. She would likely come after me next.

So I ran into sight, right up behind her while she was distracted, grasped her head, and twisted. There was a sickening crunch and she collapsed, releasing Marshall Lee. He scrambled to pull a vial out of his pants pocket and fumbled opening it. But he managed to coax a black wispy smoke emerging out of her mouth into the vial.

"I could've handled that," said Marshall Lee.

"You're welcome," I said. "By the way... What was her name?"

"She didn't have one.


End file.
